LGBTQ+ Cruise Denied Entry to Egypt After Turkey Rejection
Virgin Voyages' chartered Scarlet Lady was refused entry to Alexandria days after Turkish authorities blocked planned port calls, disrupting the Mediterranean itinerary.
A Mediterranean cruise carrying thousands of LGBTQ+ travellers, most of them gay men, was denied entry to Egypt after Turkish authorities had already barred the vessel from docking at two scheduled ports, forcing repeated itinerary changes.
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events for a 10-night Mediterranean cruise that departed Athens on July 5, was turned away from Alexandria just hours before its scheduled arrival, according to Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell.
"We were given full approval to arrive in Egypt and just four hours before we picked up the pilot and customs officers we were told that the ship would not be allowed to enter the harbor," Campbell said in an email to USA TODAY. He added that no explanation was provided for the decision.
The Alexandria stop had been added after Turkish authorities refused permission for the ship to dock at the planned ports of Kuşadası and Istanbul, reportedly citing "moral standards," according to Atlantis Events.
Passengers were informed through the ship's onboard app that Scarlet Lady had been denied entry into Egyptian waters and that the company was working to secure an alternative destination.
The cruise operator expressed disappointment over the repeated disruptions, while Egyptian port authorities had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.A Mediterranean cruise carrying thousands of LGBTQ+ travellers, most of them gay men, was denied entry to Egypt after Turkish authorities had already barred the vessel from docking at two scheduled ports, forcing repeated itinerary changes.
The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events for a 10-night Mediterranean cruise that departed Athens on July 5, was turned away from Alexandria just hours before its scheduled arrival, according to Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell.
"We were given full approval to arrive in Egypt and just four hours before we picked up the pilot and customs officers we were told that the ship would not be allowed to enter the harbor," Campbell said in an email to USA TODAY. He added that no explanation was provided for the decision.
The Alexandria stop had been added after Turkish authorities refused permission for the ship to dock at the planned ports of Kuşadası and Istanbul, reportedly citing "moral standards," according to Atlantis Events.
Passengers were informed through the ship's onboard app that Scarlet Lady had been denied entry into Egyptian waters and that the company was working to secure an alternative destination.
The cruise operator expressed disappointment over the repeated disruptions, while Egyptian port authorities had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.